Fredzania Thompson, a pregnant 19-year-old aspiring model, was killed by a freight train after she became stuck between two railroad tracks while posing for an amateur photo shoot.
Thompson died on Friday, March 10, after being hit near the intersection of Hollister and Lee Street in Navasota, Texas.
According to police, Thompson was standing between two tracks when a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway train came towards her, causing her to move to another track. However, Thompson did not see the Union Pacific train coming from the opposite direction and became stuck.
She was struck and instantly killed. The photographer at the scene was not hurt.
Via Navasota Examiner:
According to Union Pacific spokesman Jeff De Graff, the freight train was traveling southbound just before 1 p.m. when Thompson was struck while standing on the tracks.
“Apparently, there was a photo session being held on the tracks,” said De Graff. “As the train approached, the crew saw the photographer and the other individual on the tracks, alerted them with the train horn and also began the emergency stopping process on the train.”
“Basically, you have two railroad tracks there, one is Burlington Northern to the west and one is Union Pacific to the east, and she was in between the two tracks,” said Myatt after being briefed by officers on the scene. “Burlington Northern had a train on their track coming and she turned back to the east to walk across the Union Pacific track and walked right in front of the Union Pacific train that was heading south.”
Traffic was stopped in Navasota for more than 5 hours after the accident while authorities conducted an investigation.
Both the Navasota Police Department and Union Pacific police are pulling data from the train as well as taking statements from the crew and the photographer.
Both the NPD and UPPD say that the investigation is ongoing and urge citizens to respect the railroad right of ways and be cognizant of crossings.
A GoFundMe page was created to raise money for Thompson’s funeral. The funeral will take place Brosig Auditorium in Navasota on Saturday, March 18 at 11:00 A.M. with a graveside service taking place at Oakland Cemetery.
